Single sign-on for e-commerce

The typical user has at least a dozen distinct accounts on a variety of websites and applications, including one or more email accounts, Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts, an online bidding/marketplace platform account, an online banking account, and accounts for music and video streaming services. That is a significant sum. If they have to create yet another account in order to shop at your online store, you run the risk of making them unhappy and forcing them to shop somewhere else. How can it be avoided? through the use of a Single Sign-On solution. What is it, what are its benefits, when should you use it, and how should you do so?

What is single sign-on?

The option of logging into a service or web application once to gain access to all authorized resources that are compatible with that service or app is known as single sign-on (SSO). Simply put, when you use single sign-on (SSO) to log into one of a service provider’s systems, you automatically gain access to all of the other services that are available for your account (a similar effect occurs when you log out of one of the systems). Consequently, you only need to remember a single email address and password to freely utilize a provider’s various independent services. Users of Apple, Google, and Microsoft, for example, as well as corporate entities where employees log into various company services, have utilized the SSO. Nowadays, more and more online stores are using the SSO as well. Why? because it offers numerous advantages to e-Stores and their customers.

Advantages of single sign-on

First and foremost, SSO enhances your online store’s user experience. To use it, users do not need to create a separate account. They only require their existing username and password, or login credentials to their Facebook profile. There is no need to log in again to switch services. Since most of us are already constantly logged into Facebook, this time-saving feature is becoming increasingly appreciated. In addition, SSO enables users to edit their personal data, profile picture, and any other information from a single location, as well as change their passwords for all of these services. However, it does not end there. By incorporating SSO into your omnichannel sales strategy, you can improve customer satisfaction (more on this below). Finally, utilizing single sign-on (SSO) is a method for assuring users that their data is safe because it is stored in a single, secured database.

The benefits

Enhanced security

Because data is stored in a single, centralized database, SSO lowers the risk of password-related security breaches. The identity provider’s security policies are applied during the cloud-based authentication process. This could give you a competitive advantage in B2B buying, where security is important. Customers’ accounts are kept safe. Having a sense of safety across multiple applications during the checkout process is a crucial factor in improving the customer experience. With just one set of login credentials, the B2B web store administrators can rest assured that your backend is safe and secure.

Simplified login

B2B buyers and managers of e-commerce only need to keep track of one set of credentials. A small way to make logging in easy is by doing this. Through the SSO system, administrators do not need to use different credentials for each application they use; rather, they use the same account to access multiple independent applications.

Increased productivity

Time is saved when multiple systems can be accessed simultaneously. Customers and e-commerce managers alike value time as money. Consider this a win for your business when they can both use the e-commerce platform without much trouble. You incrementally gain a competitive advantage where there is a need to improve efficiency for both your internal teams and external customers. All of these minor enhancements contribute to the larger goal of increasing productivity in the workplace.

User convenience

In its most basic form, single sign-on provides a user-friendly and simplified login experience. Administrators can control access from a single location with more centralized access control. On online platforms, SSO reduces churn and improves conversion rates. This suggests that single-sign-on software is preferred by users when using the internet. Even though one of the most important reasons to use SSO is to improve the user experience, there are many underutilized ways to make your web store experience seamless. Examine additional strategies for retaining customers.

Compliance and reporting

In B2B, compliance is essential to increased security. Additionally, single sign-on makes user activity tracking simpler. To guarantee compliance, this can be done.

Streamlined user management

Using a single sign-on makes it easier to simplify onboarding procedures when introducing new team members to your business processes. In a similar vein, a team member no longer needs to create a lengthy handover document containing all of their passwords when they leave. Information that would otherwise be lost can be easily retrieved through a single system.

Which single sign-on to use

When implementing single sign-on (SSO), you have the option of using one of the following models: When your online store is built on a ready-made cloud service, you can use SSO as a plug-in. Although the implementation is not expensive, neither the system nor the code will belong to you. SSO as an adaptable open-source solution for your needs. You’ll own both the code and the system with this, which is a good deal. SSO as a specialized, custom-built solution that is entirely tailored to your requirements and completely owned by you. Keep in mind that to get the most out of SSO, you need a system with high availability. However, using solutions offered by, e.g., Amazon Web Services or Auth0, you can significantly reduce the implementation costs. Because of this, even smaller eCommerces can use SSO.